DAY 32 - DILLON, MONTANA  

JUNE 14 , 2014

Today, we took a bus tour. We had a school bus. In the past we have taken motor coach tours. I am sure that it was because of the rough dirt roads we traveled today.

School Bus that carried the group

We boarded the bus and first drive out to Beaverhead Rock.  Sacajawea was a very important part of the Corps of Discovery. The Captains knew that they were going to need horses to traverse the Rockies when they reached the head waters of the Missouri River. Sacajawea was stolen from the Shoshoni five years earlier by the Hidatsa. She was married to Charbono and was at the Winter Mandan Fort near Bismarck, ND. The Corps was going to need her to communicate with the Shoshoni to secure horses.

   When the Corps arrived in this area, Sacajawea recognized Beaverhead Rock as a place where her tribe lived.

   

Beaverhead Rock

Next we went to Clark’s Lookout. It was an elevated area where Clark could view the path of the river and get their bearings.   Many of us walked up to the lookout spot where Clark actually stood. You see the Jefferson River below. In this area, the people have renamed the river, Beaverhead River.  It takes some imagination to visualize

Clark's Lookout State Park

Walking up to the spot where Clark stood
(see the bus below) 

This is the spot where Clark Stood

This is another view of what Clark saw

At this point, the Expedition was looking for the Indians. We visited a cave with Indian Pictographs.

Indian Pictographs

 At Lemhi Pass we have our picnic lunch. I particularly enjoyed all the wild flowers, but not the road.

How would you like to ride a yellow bus on this road???

Larry at Lemhi Pass/Continental Divide

a view of what we are seeing as we travel

Everyone gets a pretty blue bag for their lunch

Joe and Mary are kissing over the start of the Missouri

After a bumpy gravel road we enjoyed touring the town of Bannock,  an old mining town that is very well preserved from the late 1800's and interpreted very well by our guide.

Lewis and Clark passed Grasshopper Creek in 1805, Lewis was collecting minerals but had no idea they were passing gold ore up the Creek. 

   Long after the expedition passed, gold was discovered along the creek in 1862, and Bannack grew to a town of ten thousand people. For a short period they were the Capital of the Montana Territory.

   Bannack was a lawless town. At one point Bannack’s Sheriff, Henry Plummer and two of his Deputies were accused of secretly leading a ruthless band of road agents. The vigilantes hung the three of them. (That sounds like a plot of many western movies).  Many other shootings and hangings took place in Bannack. Gold always brings out the worst in folks.

   This town is original. There are no reproductions in this town. We saw the School, the Hotel which was the original Territorial Courthouse, the 1862 jail, a jail that was built later, and the Methodist Church.

Town of Bannack.
There are several buildings you can't see in this picture.

This hotel has a known ghost, whose name is Dorothy

Then back to the KOA RV Park for rest, dinner, and travel meeting.

Rig #27 Cal & Mary Kay